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Blow-the-Whistle-on-Cancer 3 Ways You Can Help 1. Personal Contribution. Every penny counts, so give what you feel comfortable giving. Your contribution, combined with hundreds of others makes a difference! Send your personal check to: Blow the Whistle on Cancer, 100 Towerview Court, Cary, NC 27513 2. Association Contribution. Your association can participate by collecting donations during a meeting and sending the contribution to: Blow the Whistle on Cancer, 100 Towerview Court, Cary, NC 27513 3. Conduct a Blow the Whistle on Cancer Event. It’s fun and rewarding. Contact The V Foundation or NASO for ideas on ways you can host an event to raise funds for this campaign. From golf tournaments to silent auctions, car washes to Blow the Whistle on Cancer games, we’ll share with you how to do it and make it fun too! NASO is proud to partner Marcy Weston, chair of NASO made the following statement on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2002 during the official press conference announcing the Blow the Whistle on Cancer campaign. "When you think about officials you think about impartiality. We don’t care who wins. We call it as we see it. Right now we see help is needed to fight cancer. The National Association of Sports Officials and more than 17,000 of its members are ready to help. I’m proud NASO can play a major role in helping cancer research through the "Blow the Whistle on Cancer" campaign. It’s not intended to be just a clever tag line. We really want to do something important. We want to find a way to make a difference. This is the first national charitable campaign NASO has affiliated with. Since 1980 we have been focused on improving officiating, from an educational level as well as from the performance level. Now is the time we need to expand our focus and are partnering with The V Foundation to battle cancer. So you might ask, "Why The V Foundation?" It’s really quite simple. First, cancer affects everyone in one way or another. We have either had it ourself, are going to get it, or know someone who has it. Today all you have to do is look at the numbers. Cancer affects one out of every two men and one out of every three women in this nation. When you consider those numbers, that means it is a personal issue to each and every member of this association. So, we’re reaching out to our members, and non-members, asking them to help in this fight. There are thousands of men, women, boys and girls out there officiating youth games, high school, collegiate and even professional contests. We hope they will want to take part in this campaign. Working in partnership with The V Foundation makes good sense to us for other reasons as well. We did our homework about the organization and their commitment and dedication to battling this disease is remarkable. The accomplishments of The V Foundation, what they have done in just a few years is quite impressive. The list of grants and the manner in which they determine how these grants are issued is done in a thoroughly professional and studied manner. Donors can certainly be proud. You know, there might be some of you here today saying, "Jim Valvano was a coach. He was the enemy!" You’re right, he was a coach and a darn good one. And yes, sometimes coaches don’t always agree with the official. But Jim Valvano came from officiating stock. I don’t know if you are aware that Coach V’s father was a basketball referee – a highly respected official from New York. So, Jim Valvano was an official’s kind of guy. And the V Foundation is our kind of partnership. Jim told his team and has told thousands of cancer victims and survivors through his words, "Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up." Well, NASO is here to say, "We hear you Coach Jimmy! And we’re ready to help blow the whistle on cancer!" Thank you. Some Critical Facts • One in two men and one in every three women in the United States will develop cancer during his or her lifetime. • 525,500 Americans will die this year from cancer, more than 1,500 per day. Annual cancer deaths exceed all U.S. combat deaths in all of the wars in the 20th century. • More than 1.2 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2002. • About 8,600 children will be diagnosed with cancer and 1,600 will die from cancer this year – the leading cause of death by disease for children under 15. • Today alone, approximately 3,500 people will be diagnosed with cancer and more than 1,500 people will die from this disease. • In fact, right now, in the time it has taken you to read these few facts: five more people were diagnosed and two more people have died from cancer in the United States. Now, Here’s Some • 8.9 million people are alive today as a result of progress in cancer research! • Over the past 30 years, the five-year cancer survival rate has risen from 38 percent to 59 percent. • Mortality rates have declined 57 percent since the early 1970’s. • Scientific evidence suggests that about one third of cancer related deaths this year can be attributed to nutritional deficiencies, lack of physical activity, obesity and other lifestyle factors than can be prevented. Need
donor envelopes? All donations are 100 percent tax deductible. Individual and Association contributions will be recognized in a future issue of It’s Official. To learn more about The V Foundation: http://www.jimmyv.org |